Water closet ring

ABSTRACT

A drain ring of the type which lies under a water closet, and which has a tubular portion attached to the end of a drain pipe and a flange at the top which is held by bolts to the water closet, wherein the bolt-receiving regions of the flange are bowed-up to permit the reception of a bolt head under the flange by a workman positioned above the floor on which the water closet rests.

United States Patent [191 Yavitch Nov. 25, 1975 WATER CLOSET RING [76] Inventor: Morris Yavitch, 1008 Benedict Canyon, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210 [22] Filed: Mar. 6, 1975 211 Appl. No.: 555,977

[52] US. Cl. 4/252 R; 4/68; 285/56; 85/1 H [51] Int. C13. E03D 11/13; F16L 5/00; F16L 15/00 [58] Field of Search 4/68, 252 R; 285/56-57, 58, 59, 60; 85/1 11 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,012,252 12/1961 Gaddy 4/252 R 3,311,391 3/1967 Harrell... 285/58 3,409,918 11/1968 Gaddy 4/252 R McEwen 4/252 R Pepper 4/252 R Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lindenberg, Freilich, Wasserman, Rosen & Fernandez [57] ABSTRACT A drain ring of the type which lies under a water closet, and which has a tubular portion attached to the end of a drain pipe and a flange at the top which is held by bolts to the water closet, wherein the boltreceiving regions of the flange are bowed-up to permit the reception of a bolt head under the flange by a workman positioned above the floor on which the water closet rests.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,229

WATER CLOSET RING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a water closet ring of the type which couples the outlet of a water closet to a drain pipe.

A typical water closet, or toilet installation includes a drain fitting lying in a hole cut in the floor and attached to a drain pipe, the outlet of the water closet lying substantially within or slightly over the drain fit ting to empty waste therein. The water closet is held in approximate position with respect to the drain fitting by two or more bolts, which extend through holes in the water closet and in the flange of the fitting. A mass of sealing wax is applied around the drain fitting to seal the area between the flange of the drain fitting and the hole in the floor in which it lies, as well as to form a seal between the water closet outlet and the drain fitting.

After many years of use, it is often found that the wooden floor area immediately surrounding the drain fitting has become rotted, necessitating expensive repairs. A major reason for the rotting is that water which may seep under the base of the water closet, after many washings of the bathroom floor, may accumulate around the flange of the ring if it is raised even a small amount above the level of the surrounding floor. Such rotting is reduced by initially installing the flange of the drain fitting so it lies substantially even with the lfoor or even slightly below it. However, workmen often position the flange above the surrounding floor in order to facilitate the installation of the bolt head under the flange. The bolts could be installed by a workman utilizing a helper located under the floor to insert the bolts upwardly through holes in the flange, but workmen often try to eliminate the need for a helper by merely installing the flange slightly higher than desireable. Drain rings have been produced with thinner sections immediately under each of the holes or slots where a bolt head must be inserted, but although this reduces the amount by which the drain must be raised above the floor level to insert the bolt head, it still requires some elevation above the floor. A drain ring which permitted installation of the bolt heads from above, while the upper surface of the flange lay substantially even with the floor area immediately surrounding the flange, would encourage installation of the drain ring in a man ner that minimizes future rotting of the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a water closet drain ring is provided which can be easily installed by a single workman and in a position that assures a maximum trouble-free installation life. The ring member has a tubular portion for passing effluent and a flange at the upper end of the tubular portion, with the flange having at least two bolt-receiving regions which are bowed-up. As a result, the ring member can be installed with the top of the flange even with the surrounding floor, and yet the heads of bolts can he slipped under the bolt-receiving portions of the flanges.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water closet drain ring constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a water closet installation which includes the drain ring of FIG. I, with the ring of FIG. 1 shown in a view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG, I; and 7 FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The figures illustrate a drain ring 10 which is designed to connect to the upper end of a drain pipe 12 that carries effluent from the outlet 14 of a water closet or toilet 16. The water closet installation may be made by first cutting a hole 18 in a wood or other type of floor 20, which is large enough to receive the drain ring 10. The ring member or ring II) is then installed in the hole at a position wherein the upper surface of a flange 22 of the ring is even with the upper surface 20U of the floor 20. The floor 20 then may be covered with a cow ering 24 such as tile or linoleum up to a location spaced about the hole 18. A workman then installs a pair of bolts such as 26 so that the head 28 lies under a portion of the flange 22 of the drain ring, and with the shank 30 of the bolt extending upwardly therefrom. The workman then applies a ring of sealing wax 32 over the floor and drain ring. The water closet I6 is positioned with its base 34 lying over the floor 20 and resting on the tile 24, and with the upper end of each bolt shank engaged by a nut 36 and covered by a decorative cover 38. The outlet 14 of the water closet could lie within the ring, although it is normally positioned slightly higher than a position actually within the ring. or in other words, it is substantially within the ring.

The flange 22 of the drain ring should be installed approximately even or slightly below the floor 20 to prevent the accumulation of water around the rim of the flange 22. Such seepage water may result from water spilled on the floor of the bathroom during regular cleaning or from other events. and some of it may seep under the base of the water closet and under the wax to the flange of the drain ring. If the flange periphery lies above the floor 20, and if the wax forms a good seal between them, then water can accumulate on the floor 20 and cause rotting of the floor. A workman can minimize future rotting by installing the flange low enough. but in prior art drain rings this has resulted in difficulty in installing the bolts 26. In prior art drain rings a workman could not slip the head 28 of the bolt under the flange if the top of the flange lay even with the surrounding floor, unless the workman installed the bolt from below. This might require the workman to have a helper located on the floor below, and for convenience the workman merely installed the ring member slightly higher than the surrounding floor.

In accordance with the present invention, a drain ring member or ring 10 is provided which facilitates installation of the bolts in the ring while encouraging proper installation of the ring. The ring 10 includes a tubular portion 40 with a lower part 42 normally connected to a drain pipe 12 and with an upper part which merges with the flange 22. The flange 22 has a pair of bolt receiving regions 44, 46 which are angularly spaced from one another about the flange and which are designed to receive a bolt 26. Each bolt-receiving region 44 is bowedup to receive the head 28 of a bolt and has a radially extending slot 48 at the middle of the region for passing the shank 30 of the bolt. The upper wall 50 (FIG. 3) of the bowed-up region 44 is preferrably constructed with a lower surface 50L which lies above the upper surface 22U of the flange portion on either side of the bowed-up region. As a result. when the ring is installed with the flange upper surface 22U lying even with the upper surface U of the surrounding floor. there is room to receive the head 28 on a bolt. A special, but commonly available bolt 26 is normally used which has a thin head 28 to facilitate installation. It is possible to have the lower surface 50L of the bowed-up wall slightly lower than the upper surface of the surrounding floor. if there is a substantial gap between the flange and the wall of the hole 18 in the wall. or if a workman will chip out a small portion of the floor at the bowed-up region. However. by making the lower wall surface 50L higher than the surrounding floor and higher than the upper flange surface 22U which lies even with the surrounding floor. no chipping or extra large floor hole is required and installation of the ring in the proper manner is encouraged. ln a drain ring 10 constructed of cast iron with a flange thickness F of l-% inch. the lower surface L of the bowed-up wall lies at a height H of 1/16 inch above the surrounding flange upper surface 22U. The top wall 50 of the bowed-up region has a thickness B of 3/16 inch so that the top of the wall 50 lies /4inch above the surrounding flange upper surface 22U. A typical toilet hold-down bolt 26 .may have a head 28 which is about 1/16 inch thick. so

that it can be fitted under the bowed-up region when the ring member is installed with its upper flange surface 22U even with the upper surface of the surrounding floor 20.

Thus. the invention provides a drain ring with slotted bolt-receiving regions that are bowed-up to receive the end of a bolt. so that the drain ring can be installed with the flange substantially even with a surrounding floor and yet bolts can be readily received in the boltreceiving regions. I

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein. it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art and consequently. it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A water closet drain apparatus comprising:

a drain ring having a tubular portion with upper and lower ends for passing effluent and having a flange at the upper end of said tubular portion. said flange having a plurality of bolt-receiving regions which are angularly spaced from one another about said flange, said flange being bowed-up at each of said bolt-receiving regions to receive the head of a bolt therein, and said flange having a radially-extending slot at the middle of the region to pass the shank of a bolt.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:

each of the bolt-receiving regions is bowed upwardly high enough that the lower surface of the boltreceiving region at either side of the slot therein, lies higher than the upper surface of the flange at either side of the bolt-receiving region.

3. The apparatus described in claim 2 including:

a floor with a ring-receiving hole therein, said drain ring lying within said hole with the flange lying substantially at the top of the hole;

a drain pipe having an upper end connected to said tubular portion and extending downwardly therefrom;

a water closet with a base portion lying over a portion of said floor which surrounds said hole. and with a water closet outlet having a lower end lying substantially within said tubular portion of said drain ring;

a plurality of bolts. each having a head lying within one of said bowed-up bolt-receiving regions and a shank extending upwardly through the slot in the bolt-receiving region and through the base portion of said water closet. and a plurality of nuts each lying over said base portion of said water closet and threadably engaged with the upper end of one of said bolts; and

a mass of flowable sealing material disposed above said flange and sealing said flange to the wall of 

1. A water closet drain apparatus comprising: a drain ring having a tubular portion with upper and lower ends for passing effluent and having a flange at the upper end of said tubular portion, said flange having a plurality of boltreceiving regions which are angularly spaced from one another about said flange, said flange being bowed-up at each of said bolt-receiving regions to receive the head of a bolt therein, and said flange having a radially-extending slot at the middle of the region to pass the shank of a bolt.
 2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: each of the bolt-receiving regions is bowed upwardly high enough that the lower surface of the bolt-receiving region at either side of the slot therein, lies higher than the upper surface of the flange at either side of the bolt-receiving region.
 3. The apparatus described in claim 2 including: a floor with a ring-receiving hole therein, said drain ring lying within said hole with the flange lying substantially at the top of the hole; a drain pipe having an upper end connected to said tubular portion and extending downwardly therefrom; a water closet with a base portion lying over a portion of said floor which surrounds said hole, and with a water closet outlet having a lower end lying substantially within said tubular portion of said drain ring; a plurality of bolts, each having a head lying within one of said bowed-up bolt-receiving regions and a shank extending upwardly through the slot in the bolt-receiving region and through the base portion of said water closet, and a plurality of nuts each lying over said base portion of said water closet and threadably engaged with the uPper end of one of said bolts; and a mass of flowable sealing material disposed above said flange and sealing said flange to the wall of said hole in said floor. 